Epilogue
One month later
Kara rolled to her husband’s side of the mattress, only to find him gone.
She shot up. Where had he gone this early in the morning on her birthday?
A grin spanned her face the moment she found a bouquet of roses next to her.
He remembered. With all the extra duties he’d taken on over the last few weeks, she wouldn’t have been upset if he’d forgotten.
Fortifying a longhouse, purchasing furniture, building smokehouses and storage sheds, buying sheep and cattle, expanding his agricultural fields, and selecting men for his personal guard took up most of his time.
On top of that, although the king had sent a personal note of congratulation for their marriage, along with a generous gift of gold and silver, he also commanded Aaron to return to his duties within a fortnight.
Cradling the flowers in her arms, she scooted to the edge of the bed. Sunshine filled the bedchamber.
“Good morning, Kara.” She loved the sound of Aaron’s velvety voice.
“Milord.” She stood, surprised to see him. “Why are you sitting at the table alone?”
“I wanted to watch you sleep, my love. Come here.”
She did as he wanted, walking deliberately slow. Once she reached him, he swatted her naked backside and pulled her onto his lap. “What day is it?” he asked as if he didn’t know.
“Sunnudagr,” she answered. “Sun’s day.”
“No,” he said, “it’s your day.” He stroked her cheek and slanted his mouth across hers, plunging his tongue inside her mouth. His kisses always sent waves of heat through her body. He drew back. “Look what I have for you.”
She glimpsed at the table, nearly choking.
Green leather breeches and a matching tunic, chainmail, a sword and shield, and the one thing she’d sworn off forever—a helmet.
She placed the bouquet on the chair next to her and slid off his lap.
Afraid to touch her gifts, she stared at her husband dismayed. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you?” he asked. “I made a grave mistake when I tried to change who you are. If you weren’t the same brave, defiant girl I fell in love with all those months ago, Kara, I’d be dead.”
She swallowed her tears. “But everything you told me about being a woman. Everything my father chastised me about.”
“There’s a time and place for accepting responsibility. And there’s also a need to embrace the natural talents the gods graced us with.”
She couldn’t stop herself from touching the newly hammered, steely-blue blade. The hilt was decorated with silver triangles and amber. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful, wife. Now get dressed, we have a very important date this morning.”
“Where are we going?”
“The woods.”
As she often did, she found herself fantasizing about the first time they’d made love. “Which woods?”
“The ones that border our lands.”
“More trees?” she asked, tired of picking out timber for shakes.
“No,” he said. “We have two weeks left to get you properly trained to accompany me to Nidaros.”
That’s not what she’d expected. King Olaf had called a special meeting between the northern jarls and Christians.
If peace was going to be achieved, both sides must agree to simple terms. She knew her husband would be away for months before he retired from military service.
Even her father and brothers were attending. But her?
“I don’t know what to say.” She really didn’t.
“Here,” he said standing. He grabbed her braies off the table and shook them out. “Try these on, I know they’ll fit perfectly.”
She stepped into them, one foot at a time, then he tugged them over her hips. She laced the front and then twirled. “Well?”
“Are you prepared to hear the truth, Kara?” he started. “I’ll give you the courtesy of honesty.” He walked behind her and said, “Firstly, this unsightly gusset on the back of your breeches . . .” His speech sounded vaguely familiar.
He cupped her arse with both hands and nibbled on the back of her neck. “By everything holy, Lady Kara, I love you in leather.”
She smiled, desperate to feel his hands all over her body. “As for you, Jarl McNally, I prefer you out of leather.”